Many types of implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, and vagus nerve stimulators, have leads connected to an electronics unit. The distal end of the lead typically comprises or is coupled to one or more conductive electrodes. Such electrodes are typically fragile and thus should be handled carefully by the implanting surgeon when attaching the electrode to the relevant tissue to be stimulated. Fabrication of such electrodes is often a painstaking, time-consuming process.